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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Most of the techniques I recommend for achieving clear writing are easy to learn and apply. They require only a little time to learn and practice.

One such technique is this: try to avoid using fad words (also called mantras). They are usually vague substitutes for precise words. They rarely help you produce clear writing; they almost always work against you.

For example, consider the word drive.

A press release announcing a friendly corporate takeover stated that the acquisition “...was driven by the clear synergy between the two companies’ market and technology philosophies.”

The writer probably had intended to say that the managements of the two companies identified the potential synergy and wanted to actualize it. However, this is a misuse of the verb drive, and in this case the misuse unwittingly diminishes the astuteness of the senior managers who conceived and executed the acquisition.

To be driven is to be propelled mindlessly: herds of cattle, teams of oxen, slaves, serial killers, and leaves in the wind are driven. Free, rational men are not.

By using a fad expression, the writer weakened his own story. A better wording would be “was inspired by,” which would imply more thoughtful and deliberate action.

The misuse of drive has become a mania. Many writers seem unable to write a press release, a web page or a PowerPoint presentation without doing it. In only 55 minutes on Google, without breaking a sweat, I found drive and driver being used instead of the following precise verbs and nouns, respectively:

The Takeaway: Whenever you are about to use drive (driver) in business copy, ask yourself precisely what you mean and then use that word. But if you really can’t think of a precise word, use drive (driver).